


Kideo Senshi Knight Saber

by Starscream



Series: Story of the Knight Sabers [4]
Category: Bubblegum Crisis, G. I. Joe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-06
Updated: 2012-12-06
Packaged: 2017-11-20 12:04:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/585226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starscream/pseuds/Starscream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While escorting the Knight Sabers' new hardsuits back to base, Wolf and Cover Girl are captured with the YHS-02</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kideo Senshi Knight Saber

Kido Senshi Knight Sabers

 

 

 Bubblegum Crisis is property of AIC/Youmex

 Toshimichi Suzuki and Kenichi Sonoda created Bubblegum Crisis  
 GI Joe is Property of Hasbro and Marvel/Sunbow entertainment all rights reserved.  
 Gundam and all related names are property of Bandai and Sunrise  
 Mobile Suit Gundam was created by Yoshiuki Tomino  
 This takes place between six months to a year before Arise Serpentor Arise 

 

 

 

On a lone highway stretching across the desert landscape, a big rig truck with a full military escort, including air cover traveled along the road. The convoy included armored fire support vehicles, Vamp Jeeps and a flight group of Sky Hawks. “How’s everything from point, Grey Fox?”

 

“Clear so far, Duke, I hope for the best, but I plan for the worst.”

 

“I know, whatever we’re carrying might perk the interests of those reptiles.”

 

Inside the cargo trailer, Mackie Stingray worked on four human sized objects covered with a tarp. After graduating MIT, Mackie was instantly hired by DARPA. Since then he spent the last 6 months to a year, working on a top secret project. “Please don’t look at the units, they’re highly classified,” Mackie warned Wolf as she tried to peek under the tarp. Much to her disgust, Grey Fox assigned Wolf to guard duty; not one of her favorite jobs.

 

“Damn! I would like to know what I’m babysitting.”

 

“Only Grey Fox and General Hawk know what is being transported.”

 

“Well, your sister better know that I’m making a sacrifice here,”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yeah I’m going be missing the Sopranos tonight.”

 

From the distance, Cobra Commander looked through a pair of binoculars. Through communication intercepts, he learned of the convoy but the contents were still unknown. “The convoy approaches, destroy the escorts and disable the truck. I want the cargo intact. **COBRA!** ” The Commander ordered his forces before launching his CLAW flight pack from a cliff.

 

Following the Commander’s lead, CLAWs and Trubble Bubble flight pods piloted by Vipers and Crimson Guards took off from their staging areas; while HISS Tanks and ASP gun pods formed a blockade on the road.

 

Looking down the road, Scarlett saw the blockade forming in front of the convoy. “They’re trying to block the road! Let’s take ‘em out!”

 

As several VAMPs, Wolverines and Maulers began engaging the Cobra ground units, the Skyhawks piloted Duke, Grey Fox and Flint moved in providing air support. “Let’s give a little air support for the lady, people!” Duke ordered as he and the other two Skyhawk pilots launched  several missiles at the blockade.

 

With the truck’s escorts bogged down by the blockade, Cobra Commander saw an opportunity to capture the truck’s cargo. Once given the signal Scrap Iron emerged from his hiding place in a Stinger Jeep. Speeding towards the truck, Scrap Iron fired a rocket at the connector between the rig and cargo container.

 

Inside Wolf and Mackie unable to brace themselves were thrown around as the container came to an abrupt stop. “What the fuck?!” groaned Wolf.

 

Outside Cobra transport choppers began deploying more ground forces and BATs surrounding the container.

 

“Wolf come in,” Grey Fox said into her headset.

 

“Fox, what the fuck is going on out there?!”

 

“Cobra is after the cargo. Wolf, I’m authorizing you use of one of the prototypes. Mackie will explain it to you.”

 

“Roger.” Wolf turned to Mackie as he pulled off the tarp to a midnight blue armored suit.

 

"This is an experimental combat suit,” Mackie told her then handed Wolf a spandex suit, “And this softsuit is used when you’re in the suit, but you can’t wear any undergarments.”

 

Taking the softsuit and ordering Mackie to turn around and cover his eyes, Wolf quickly changed. There was a noticeable groan of disappointment from Mackie. Wolf gave off a light chuckle remembering Fox mentioning that Mackie was somewhat of letch, “Tough shit kid.” While climbing into the hardsuit, she smiled that it was a perfect fit. After pulling on the helmet, she lifted the visor as Mackie was giving her last minute instructions. “All the important information about the suit is provided in the HUD,” Mackie explained as he opened two crates. “I’m issuing a shield and an experimental beam rifle.”

 

"Sweet!” Wolf smiled as she took the large diamond like shaped shield and the beam rifle.

 

"I can’t guarantee that the beam rifle will work, it’s still a working prototype and there might be some bugs still to be resolved.”

 

Approaching the doors of the truck, Cobra Vipers began to open the doors.

 

Aiming her beam rifle, Wolf pulled the trigger. A beam of energy shot of the barrel and punched a hole into the doors. “What the hell was that!” Exclaimed a Viper after witnessing the beam shot.

 

Suddenly two hands began tearing the hole even larger. The Vipers stood in fear as what appeared to be a head emerged from the hole, “Here’s Johnny!” Wolf smiled menacingly under helmet, doing her best impersonation of Jack Nicholson from the Shining. With a good hard kick, the container doors flew open, revealing Wolf in her hardsuit with the beam rifle in her right hand, the shield in her left and ready to kick some ass. Jumping from the truck, she approached the large group of Vipers and Crimson Guards, “Come on boys, let’s party.”

_So this must be the US military’s new weapon, a powered combat suit?_ Mentally noted the Commander. “BATs deal with her, but I want that suit intact,” ordered Cobra Commander.

 

Ten BATs approached Wolf. _Time to make some spare parts._ Wolf told herself, preparing her beam rifle. She fired a shot into a BAT’s chest and came out the back. Relishing the firepower of the beam rifle, targeting another BAT, she pulled the trigger, but the rifle failed to fire. “ **AW SHIT!** ”

 

“Wolf, I was afraid of this. The e-cap for the beam rifle drained too quickly.” Mackie told her over the comm system.

 

“Wonderful,” Wolf dryly remarked, “Anything else I should know?”

 

“Yeah, the small compartments in your hips house the beam sabers. Those should work perfectly.”

 

Pulling a small rod, the beam saber ignited. With one swipe, Wolf took a BAT’s head off. 

 

“Clutch, Steeler, listen carefully. I want your Mauler to tow the cargo container out of the combat zone,” Grey Fox ordered through her headset while strafing two HISS tanks with Skyhawk’s vulcan cannons.

 

With the Mauler positioned in front of the cargo container, Steeler and Clutch quickly worked on hooking the Mauler’s utility hooks to the container. “Okay Clutch, let’s get out of here!” Steeler told the mechanic.

 

Sliced in half, the last of the BATs fell to Wolf and her beam saber. With an M-4 in her hand, Covergirl backed up Wolf. The two faced off with a bigger group of Vipers and Crimson Guards, some of them looked rather fearful of Wolf.

 

Grabbing his rocket launcher, Scrap Iron fired a rocket into Wolf’s upper back. Striking her back, warning messages flashed on her HUD of “critical damage, initiating emergency shut down to protect primary systems.” Her suit shutting down, Wolf fell to the ground. In a vain attempt to reach her friend, Covergirl was tackled by Vipers and beaten into submission.

 

In protecting the three remaining prototypes and Mackie, the Joe team couldn’t do anything but watch Covergirl and Wolf being loaded on a transport.

 

“What now Fox?” Duke asked Flint at his side.

 

Grey Fox ran a hand through her hair as she leaned against her landed Skyhawk, “Get the three remaining prototypes to base and consider our options,” Grey Fox stated. She failed, lost one of the prototypes, and her friend. What could be waiting in the wings for her, for the Knight Sabers, for the GI Joe team as a whole due to her failure.

 

Deep in within the interior of western Montana, Cobra choppers approached a small mountain range. Landing near a cliff face along the east side, two large doors opened, flight crews and aircraft tow vehicles emerged bringing the transports inside.

 

Disembarking the lead transport, Cobra Commander was met by a squad of Crimson Guards standing at attention on either side of the transports boarding ramp and some of his command staff, namely Destro, the Baroness and the Commander’s aide Caroline.

 

“I trust the mission was successful Cobra Commander?” Destro asked

 

“Yes,” he hissed, “We didn’t know what was being transported at first. But we managed obtained the prototype, the test pilot and a new type of weapon.”

 

“A new weapon?” The Scottish weapons dealer asked.

 

“Yes, some new energy projection weapon,” The Commander replied as the two watched the hardsuit, shield and beam rifle being offloaded. “Take the unit to one of the labs and the prisoners to detention. The test pilot will be interrogated later.” The commander instructed various personnel.

 

Sitting in General Hawk’s office, Sylia explained to Hawk the lost of the prototype and capture of both Wolf and Covergirl. “And that’s how it happen sir.”

 

Hawk looked at the young Lt. with a somewhat fatherly expression. “Sylia, the prototype was captured, but we still have time to recover it.”

 

“Sir, I failed. I failed you and Priss….”

 

“That’s enough Sylia, don’t beat yourself up. You did everything you could. You’re only human.”

 

“One of the rules of being a commander is to safeguard the lives of those under my command. I put the prototypes ahead of my friend.”

 

“Sylia,” Hawk said softly, “You can’t let your emotions interfere with your judgment. Maybe if you got a couple hours sleep, you’ll think a lot clearer.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

General Hawk knew what Sylia was going through. She was probably remembering about her mission in the middle east, all but four members of her unit including her survived, but she had to leave the worst off behind; and write to their families of how and why their husbands and sons were not coming home. During that time, Hawk was working out of the Pentagon during the early days of GI Joe; Sylia asked him to come down to Fort Benning, she was in need of his advice, his guidance. Hawk owed her Uncle Robert a hundred times over for his friendship and he couldn’t think of a better way of repaying that debt than being Sylia’s mentor, her surrogate father. He admired Sylia’s dedication to her friends and her duty, but she sets expectations for herself that no one can meet, and she hardest on herself when something goes wrong. “She’s only human,” Hawk sighed “she shouldn’t beat herself up over this,”

 

Struggling against her captors, Wolf was dragged by two Crimson Guards into a dimly lit room. A bright shaft of light from above illuminated a single metal chair in the middle of the room. Past the chair, Wolf could make out a desk, a high backed chair and a man sitting at the desk. After Wolf was strapped into the chair, the man in the shadows spoke. “Greetings, Wolf I trust you’re comfortable.”

 

“Cobra Commander,” recognizing the hiss in that bastard’s voice, “It’s a good thing your boys strapped me down. After I get through kicking the shit out of Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum, you’re going to be crying for mamma, asshole!”

 

Not even responding to her comment, Cobra Commander picked up a small control from the desk and turned on a set of very bright lights. “How many lights do you see?”

 

Initially blinded by the lights, Wolf could see four lights. “Four lights, what do I win?”

 

“I’m sorry, there are five lights,” The Commander told her, even though Wolf could see four lights. Pushing the second button on his control, a jolt of electricity was shot into Wolf’s back, waves of intense pain ran through her body, she fought the urge to scream.

 

Pressing the button again, the commander ended Wolf’s torture and sat down. “Now I would like you to explain in detail the armor of your hardsuit.”

 

“How the fuck should I know,” Wolf spat back, “and even if I did know, why would I tell a dumb fuck like you?!”

 

Moving from behind his desk and towards Wolf, he cupped her chin with his thumb and index finger, “You have quite a lovely face my dear,” With the back of his black gloved hand, the Commander struck Wolf hard across the face. “Pity you choose not to cooperate. Now, tell me about the rifle.”

 

“I don’t know a fuckin’ thing about the fuckin’ suit!”

 

“I didn’t ask you about the suit. I asked you about the rifle. Perhaps another lesson is in order, especially about showing respect!”

 

“Fuck you, freak!” 

 

Picking up his controller again, Cobra Commander sent another jolt of electricity through the chair and into her back, but the duration was longer than last time. Wolf just wanted to scream, but she had to resist the torture.

 

The Commander ceased Wolf’s torture. “Hopefully you will become more cooperative, I can assure you further resistance is futile. I have other means at my disposal which can be quite unpleasant. So if you and friend want to live, you better start providing some answers to my questions.”

 

Tossed back into her cell, Wolf laid on the cold floor, unable to move. “Wolf?” Someone called her by her codename. She could feel her body being moved, a soft pair of hands placed on the sides of her head, gently guided into someone’s lap.

 

“Courtney?” Wolf weakly asked, looking at the other woman’s face who still had bruises on her face when she was captured.

 

“I’m here Priss. I’m not going anywhere.”

 

“What were you able to ascertain from the suit?” The Commander asked Destro and Scrap-Iron. 

 

Typing at the keyboard, schematics of the hardsuit, beam rifle and shield appeared on a large monitor.

 

“From what we could gather this suit is state of the art.”

 

“This is not telling me anything Scrap-Iron. Can we duplicate this?”

 

“Yes and no.”

 

“The ‘yes’ first Scrap-Iron,” The Commander replied.

 

“We can use the basic design for our own hardsuit development program…”

 

“But,” The Commander interjected, this was something he has come expect from Weapons R&D, even if something looks promising, there will always be drawbacks.

 

“But, we are unable to duplicate the armor or the new energy weapon. Given some time we could have something.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Were you able to get any information out of the test pilot?” Destro asked, in hope of some useful information could be extracted.

 

“No,” The Commander replied, “Either she was trained to resist torture or she does know nothing.”

 

After getting at least a few hours of somewhat decent sleep, Sylia sat at her desk, quietly drinking her coffee and collecting her thoughts. Sylia was not one who took failure well; if had been someone like Priss, Linna or Nene who failed, she would put the situation in perspective for them and give advice. But for Sylia, the price of failure was often in lives. Doubt and specters of past missions began to haunt her, questioning her judgment, her ability to command. Images of people who died under command blaming her for her failure. A knock at her door snapped her back to reality. “Come.” Sylia said as she tried to steady her quaking hands to drink her coffee.

 

“You wanted to see me, Sis?” Mackie asked as he walked in.

 

“Yes, there will be a senior staff meeting at 1800 hours tonight. I want you to brief them on the hardsuits,” Sylia told him not even looking in his direction.

 

“I intend to, Sis.”

 

“Good,” she simply said as Mackie began to walk out. “Mackie,”

 

“Yes,”

 

“Despite our relationship, when we’re in that meeting or when I’m on duty, I’m to be addressed as Lt. Am I clear on this?”

 

“Sure. Is there something wrong, Sis?”

 

“It’s no concern of yours. But I wish you never created these damn hardsuits. Never went to work for DARPA.”

 

“Sis, you’re blaming me for what happened?”

 

“No, I’m not blaming you. But creating those suits, painted a very tempting target for Cobra.”

 

Mackie couldn’t believe what he was hearing, his own sister blaming him for what has happen. “Sis, can’t we talk this out?”

 

“Get out Mackie,” Sylia calmly told him. Mackie did walk out and slammed the door behind him. Sinking in her chair, Sylia couldn’t believe she took her anger out on her brother.

 

As he stormed out of Sylia’s office, still fuming over Sylia’s accusation, he nearly ran into Gen. Hawk who was getting a refill on his coffee cup. “Is something wrong son?”

 

Mackie only nodded. “Let’s go into my office.”

 

In Hawk’s office, Mackie explained what happen between him and Sylia. “General, you know Sylia better than anyone else, even me. What’s wrong with her?”

 

“Mackie, right now Sylia is probably very angry, hurt, fill with doubt and punishing herself.”

 

“Why?”

 

Hawk released a sigh, that was a question he asked himself sometimes about Sylia. “Your sister is a good soldier, but she sets expectations for herself that no one can meet, and she can be hardest on herself. I think she doesn’t stop to realize she’s only human.”

 

“I guess it’s not easy being in a job like Sylia’s?”

 

“No it isn’t, son. It’s been my opinion when Sylia like this, is just leave her alone, usually she’ll head to the gym and blow off some steam.”

 

            Exiting from Hawk’s office and feeling a bit better, Mackie headed out of the office area. “Mackie can I see you for a moment,” Sylia called from her office.

 

            _Is she going to yell at me or apologize._ Mackie thought, considering if he should go in or walk away. He chose the former, not wanting to hurt Sylia further. The two sat at her desk. “Mackie, I…” Sylia began, this was just as hard as writing a letter of condolence to a loved one of a fallen soldier, “I’m sorry for my behavior, it was completely uncalled for.”

 

            “Sylia, you don’t have to…”

 

“Mackie please. I’ve been under a lot pressure and wallowing in my problems didn’t help.”

 

Taking his sister’s hand into his own, Mackie looked into her tired eyes and smiled. “Sis, you didn’t have to explain anything to me. General Hawk explain it to me.”

 

A smile of her own came to her face. “I’m glad. Clayton’s a good man.”

 

Without knocking, Nene entered with several documents in her hand. “I’m sorry for intruding, Lt. But I have those reports you asked for.”

 

“Quite alright, Nene.” She said as she took the reports. 

 

“Hi Mackie,” Nene exclaimed cheerfully to Sylia’s brother.

 

“Nene.”

 

“You know each other?”

 

“We met in Boston after the hostage crisis at MIT. Since then we’ve been e-mailing and instant messaging each other,” Nene told her CO. “Mackie, if you’re free tonight would like to watch the Simpsons with me?”

 

“You like the Simpsons, Nene?”

 

“Mackie, Nene is a Simpsons fanatic,” Sylia pointed out, every Sunday night at 8, when she was not out on a mission, she would knock anyone down who got in her way to the rec room, so she wouldn’t miss a single minute of a new Simpsons episode. Beachhead was surprised she was faster to catch the Simpsons, than she was during a PT run.

 

“Aw Sylia just because I have every episode to date doesn’t mean I’m a fanatic,” Nene replied flashing an innocent smile.

 

“I’ll see you at the meeting, Mackie.” Sylia quickly changed the subject before turning back to Nene, “Nene, after my meeting, I need to see Linna and Lady J for a job.”

 

Assembled for the staff meeting, General Hawk introduced Mackie to the rest of senior staff. “Before I begin, this briefing is classified,” Mackie said as he started a PowerPoint presentation. “Project Knight’s Armor, a development program of prototype combat armor or I call hardsuits. I came up with the idea based upon the Land Warrior system, DARPA’s research into exoskeletons and some research notes done by my father and an associate of his.”

 

“So these suits are for tactical IT deployment?” Duke asked.

 

“Yes, much like the Land Warrior, the hardsuits have onboard computers to keep the user informed of everything on the battlefield.” Mackie responded, then punched up the specs of the first hardsuit. The YHS-01, designed specifically for Grey Fox, a general purpose, command hardsuit. Further, the YHS-01 was capable of processing and analyzing intelligence, tactical and strategic data to plan the best COA. The YHS-01 also has a detachable flight pack for short sustained flight.

 

Next suit displayed was the YHS-02. “The YHS-02, I designed for Wolf, the one that was captured. It’s a heavy assault suit, so it a little more heavily armed and armored than the other three.” Mackie stated. Continuing on, the YHS-02 possessed a strength booster, while the strength of the user is already enhanced; the strength booster triples the enhanced strength in Wolf’s hardsuit, Mackie came up with the idea after reading her file, taking notice of the fact that Wolf likes to go all out in a fight.

 

Next was the YHS-03 designed for Dagger. Taken into account her martial arts background and her personal views, the YHS-03 has no ammo based weapons instead has compartments for throwing stars; scabbards for small bladed weapons. Along with the beam sabers, the suit comes with a new conventional long sword. Keeping instep with Dagger’s martial arts background, the YHS-03 has an Active Sound Suppressor able of canceling out the sound emanating from the suit allowing her to move with stealth; also the joints of the suit have been magnetically coated. This cuts down the friction in the joints to near zero allowing the suit to handle Dagger’s fast reflexes and give greater range of motion. The coating process was highly classified.

 

Last was the YHS-04, designed for Cypher. The suit was created as an electronic and cyber warfare suit, containing the most advanced communication, sensor and ECM systems. Included on the YHS-04 is a powerful onboard computer capable of hacking either through remote access or direct interface using connecting cables in the suit’s chest and built into arm was a flip open panel containing the keyboard to input computer commands.

 

The suits have a frame of high density titanium alloy, and the armor was of a titanium alloy/ceramic composite. The armor was capable of withstanding small arms and machine gun fire, but the armor can only withstand artillery, anti-tank and incendiary fire for a limited amount of time before the suit begins to take on damage. Creating the composite is highly classified. Plus the suits can be tracked by GPS, Mackie had an optic disk containing the suits’ GPS frequencies.

 

The final part of the briefing was the offensive and defensive capabilities of the hardsuits. “For defensive purposes all four prototypes carry a shield which is composed of the same composite as the armor. For offensive purposes the suits are equipped with beam weapon technology; the beam rifles and sabers which are based upon the mega particle cannon done by Dr. Shakoor and Minovsky physics. Both powerful, yet experimental. The problems we were having at DARPA was the energy capacitor or ‘e-cap’ for short doesn’t keep its’ charge for very long only 1 or 2 shots could be fired, even though in theory 20 shots could be fired from the rifle before it need a recharge.”

 

“Is there anything to correct this flaw, Mackie?” Sylia asked.

 

“I believe so, Lt., but I need to request a few things. Such as personnel who have backgrounds in computer science, electronics, anyone with high technical backgrounds. Also I’ll need to get in touch with DARPA especially Dr. Nina Purpleton, who developed and designed the Beam weapons, and have them send some equipment.”

 

“All the necessary personnel and equipment will be provided to you.”

 

“Mackie, how long until the prototypes are ready to be tested?”

 

“At least another 48 hours. I have some final calibrations to make, upload the software packages and make some final adjustments to the beam rifles.”

 

A huge fist slammed across her face, that Wolf could have sworn felt like a ton of bricks Her face was badly bruised and swollen as the Cobra known as Big Boa worked her over. A big bull of a man, thickly muscled, Big Boa was Cobra’s most ruthless trainer. “Now are you going be a good girl and answer the Commander’s questions. Or do I have to use you as a punching bag again, you weak little bitch?”

 

“Weak, huh? I’ve been known to put Marines in the hospital, you steroid overdosed freak!”

 

Slipping on a pair of brass knuckles, Big Boa slammed his fist into Wolf’s stomach, causing her to nearly cough up blood. “Enough Boa.” The Commander ordered, “She has wasted enough of our time.” The Commander was coming to the realization that Wolf truly knew nothing.

 

Being thrown back into her cell. Wolf barely survived another ‘questioning’ session, but her pain was eased with Covergirl holding her, telling her not to give, helping her maintain her will, her sanity. Wolf and Covergirl formed a strong friendship through their mutual interests; in some ways they were very much alike. Of course they didn’t hit it off at first, during the first few months, she would get on Priss for her refusal to help keep their quarters clean; in a way Wolf was somewhat like a teenager when it came to keeping a place tidy and she would be rather flippant about its. As time passed and they were being sent on missions together, the two began to have a mutual respect for each other. What really solidified their friendship was Wolf risked her own life to pull Covergirl out of her burning Wolverine. Beachhead tried to stop Wolf because the missile rack could explode. Wolf’s reaction was ‘fuck you Beachhead, she’s my friend.’

 

She glanced down at the Knight Saber she was holding against her chest, Wolf was asleep. Exhausted, physically and emotionally. God knows the minute they escape, Wolf was going to be angrier than hell and wanting to take Cobra Commander’s ass out. She’ll make taking on the GI Joe team seem like a walk in the park. Continuing to hold her friend, Covergirl said a silent prayer for them to make it through the next day and allow them the opportunity to escape.

 

Sitting in his office, Cobra Commander was in a particularity good mood; he was just finishing up reading on the preliminary test data from Cobra Island on the XHS-04 dubbed the Zaku prototype and it appeared the tests went better than expected, all the results from the exercises would then be incorporated into the HS-05 Zaku I and the HS-06A Zaku II. A smile came to his face, when the suits will go into mass production, Cobra would be feared even more. As he just started to look at proposals and specs for variants, Scrap-Iron walked in. “Commander, I have something you should see.”

 

Following Scrap-Iron to the hanger, the two oversaw the unloading of a crate that was a little taller and wider than an average man. Taking a crow bar, Scrap-Iron pried off the front of the crate revealing a blue Zaku II with an antenna on its head. “Sir, I give you the HS-06s Zaku II.” Scrap-Iron said.

 

“What makes this different from a regular Zaku?” The Commander asked, arching an eyebrow under his faceplate. Appearance wise the only difference was the antenna.

 

“Commander, this Zaku is for a commander’s use only. It has more tactical readouts, a more sophisticated communication system, everything a commander needs on the battlefield. Also this is 3x faster than a normal Zaku and has 3x more propellant. Also we gave it a blue paintjob to distinguish you from other Zakus.”

 

Looking over his new Zaku, Cobra Commander was impressed. _This Zaku will serve me well._ “Scrap Iron, inform Colonel Kycilia Zabi, that I’m pleased with the work she and her development team has done on such short notice.”

 

“Any luck, Dial Tone?” Sylia asked. After getting the GPS information from Mackie, she had Dial Tone keep a close eye on the GPS sats for a signal from Wolf’s suit. Periodically, she would check in with Dial Tone in C&C.

 

“Nothing, Lt. sorry.” Dial Tone turned back to the large computer console. “It could be her GPS transmitter in nonfunctional or she’s in an area where her signal is blocked.”

 

As Sylia headed for the exit, Flint walked in, he had the night watch. “Lt., why don’t you go get some sleep, you look exhausted,” Flint noted, he could see the dark smudges under her eyes and she looked like she was on verge on collapsing.

 

“Uh yeah, I do need to get some sleep, Flint.” Sylia hastily replied, but he was right, Sylia hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in 72 to 96 hours, the best she could do was one or two hours of sleep, then wake up. She has been extremely worried about Priss her mind refused her to rest. Sylia was showing all the classic signs of a person falling apart; she hasn’t slept, barely getting food into her and surviving on coffee and cigarettes. Sylia knew this as she dragged her body to the infirmary.

 

“Your blood pressure is very high, Lt.” Lifeline remarked as he unwrapped the cuff of the blood pressure gauge, then noted in Sylia’s medical records while Sylia sat on the exam table. Her eyes were also bloodshot, her muscle were stiff and sore from the tension. Even though Lifeline was not an MD, his training as a paramedic did allow him to treat people and dispense a limited amount of medicine. “Lt. I’m going to give you a mild muscle relaxant and something that will help you sleep. I would also recommend that you stay off the coffee, grab something to eat, get some sleep and for god’s sakes quit smoking!”

 

After receiving her medication, Sylia head back to her quarters. Actually, she had to laugh, Lifeline gave her a near fire and brimstone speech about the dangers of smoking; Sylia was aware of the risks, she would only smoke when she was worried, nervous or under stress; everyone had their vices. Finally, Sylia reached her quarters, dragging her tired body in and collapsed on the couch then turned on the TV.

 

A few minutes later, Scarlett came in. “Hi Sylia,” she greeted her roommate as she hung up her leather jacket and Braves ball cap. She had the night off, so she went to the movies. Sylia briefly noticed her in jeans and a blue blouse.

 

“Scarlett,”

 

“So how are you, Sylia?” Scarlett asked but her question was soon answered when she got a good look at the Ranger. “Sylia are you alright? You look awful.” Scarlett was very concerned, her roommate looked whiter than a sheet, a little thinner and very tired. Sylia always had a thin attractive body, but Scarlett could see this loss in weight could be unhealthy. “Sylia, doing this to yourself is not going to bring Priss back. Plus you’re not going to be useful if you ruin your physical and mental health.”  

 

“I know, I got some medication,” Sylia rattled the bottle of meds.

 

“Sylia, there has always been a pattern, you overwork yourself to point of exhaustion, you’ve been known to go on a mission soon after you just got back from one. In the two years you’ve been on this team, you’ve never taken a vacation. Sylia, I’m your friend and I’m worried about you.” Sylia took a glance at Scarlett, there was a genuine expression concern on her face.

 

Reaching out, Sylia took Scarlett’s hand into hers. “Shanna, I truly appreciate your concern for me as well as your friendship. I know I can be hard on myself and I can be very driven when it comes to my job and duty. It’s been ingrained into me since West Point, I spent more time studying then having a social life; when I was in Ranger School, a dressing down I received from my DI made me more determined succeed; every moment I spent reviewing what I learned and ran the obstacle course over and over to improve my time.” Sylia explained why she was so determined.

 

“You don’t like to fail.”

 

“ Yes, because if I fail there would be blood on my hands. I would pay the price for my incompetence.”

 

“Sylia, shit happens!” Scarlett bluntly told her. “You cannot predict everything that’s going to happen. Nor can you go through life kicking yourself in the ass. Besides we learn more from failure and mistakes.”

 

A pair of Vipers opened the cell door, one revealed a pair of handcuffs, clapping them on Wolf. Another torture session to be escorted to, Wolf could only wonder how much more torture can she endure before she was broken of her will to fight, to live? _No! I will not be broken! I’m not going to break. I’m strong, I will resist, I will survive!_

The Vipers brought Priss into an empty room with a hook descending from the ceiling, Cobra Commander was waiting.

 

Hanging by her handcuffs, a Viper took a knife and ripped her prison clothes, rending her nearly naked. She shivered from the cold and humiliation as a Viper ran his hand over her body reaching a part of her body where normally Wolf would kill without hesitation.

 

“Enough!” The Commander barked. “She’s not here to satisfy your carnal urges.”

 

“Wolf, you will provide the information I have requested and I will use means at my disposal that are quite unpleasant.”

 

“I told you I don’t anything about the hardsuit.” Wolf said again and again and again. She was almost on the verge tears, nearing the point of breaking.

 

“We shall soon see,” The Commander said. He was starting to believe her, but he still had to find out.

 

Two Vipers armed with tasers approached Wolf. She tightly clenched teeth preparing herself for more agony. On contact, the tasers ran an electrical charge through Wolf’s body. The Commander just watched only giving silent nods of his head to cease or commence the torture, he was now out to break her for any worthwhile intelligence. 

 

“Stop, perhaps we can use the other woman.” The Commander suggested as the Vipers brought Wolf’s weaken body down.

 

“Cover Girl?” She weakly asked. “She doesn’t know anything either.”

 

“No, but you do.”

 

Wolf realized he was going to torture Cover Girl to break her completely. “ **YOU BASTARD!** ” Enduring all the pain and suffering from her torture Wolf finally snapped. Grabbing a viper, using her handcuffs, she strangled the Viper.

 

Watching in horror, the Commander was scared for his life as Wolf made short work of his Vipers; she was still hand cuffed and she killed those Vipers with her bare hands. She took a key off one the Vipers and removed her handcuffs.  

 

“I should kill you!” Wolf threatened, grabbing the Commander by the throat and tore off his helmet and faceplate leaving him wearing his balaclava. “But, I have other things to attend to. Nevertheless, asshole I should repay for the hospitality!” 

 

Wolf slammed her fist into the Commander’s face breaking his nose. A smile came to her face as she heard the sound of cartilage being crushed under her fist and blood gushing to soak the balaclava. “God that felt good!”

 

She then turned one of the dead Vipers and stripped him down to his underwear. Putting on the uniform, it wasn’t a perfect fit, but just enough to pass her off as a Viper. 

 

Doubts began to fill her mind as she exited out onto the corridor; Grey Fox and Cypher were able to pass themselves off as Crimson Guards, but Wolf was not much of an actor, she was going to spring Cover Girl then either get the hell out of here or send in the cavalry.

 

Giving off a deep sigh, Cover Girl wondered about Wolf, she worried how much more she could take, she didn’t want to lose her friend to PTSD, Cover Girl could feel her friendship deepen with Wolf just being confined, the feeling of just being Wolf’s lifeline was indescribable. Suddenly the sounds of an AK firing and the sounds of bodies falling snapped her out of reverie. _What the hell was that?_ She asked herself as the hollow sounds of footsteps approached her cell, the clatter of an empty magazine falling to the floor and then a fresh magazine being loaded into the rifle. She assumed a fighting stance as the Viper stood before her cell; she was not going down without a fight. “Hi Courtney, miss me?” The Viper removed her helmet; it was Wolf with a lopsided grin on her face.

 

“Priss,” Cover Girl said with a relieved smile on her face.

 

“Come on, it’s check out time.”

 

Wolf headed for the exit with Cover Girl in tow, until the tank jockey stopped at a computer terminal, “Court, we don’t have time to surf the internet.”

 

“Priss, don’t you think we should retrieve your hardsuit for Lt. Stingray?”

 

“We don’t even know where it is, so what’s the point?”

 

Cover Girl gave an exasperated look at the Knight Saber, “Priss, we’re in the security section, think about it.” At the keyboard, she ran a search through the security logs; Cobra security was tight but the logs were considered a low risk. “Ah and voila, it’s in a weapons lab; bad news, we can’t get to it through the normal route.”

 

“How do we get to it then?”

 

“Through the air duct,” She replied as she moved to a near man sized air vent. She removed the grate as Wolf approached.

 

“The air duct?”

 

“Yeah,” Cover Girl answered, “now get in there before either security comes and sees your handiwork or I’ll kick your ass!”

 

Wolf could help but smile at Cover Girl’s threat, “okay whatever you say, Cover Girl.” Wolf followed her friend into the air duct.” 

 

Caroline approached the room where Cobra Commander was conducting his interrogation of Wolf, “Sir….” She started to say until she saw two Vipers lying dead and the Commander with a growing blood stain on his balaclava seeping onto his uniform and the floor. “Commander!” She ran to get a medkit.

 

Lifting his balaclava, she placed some gauze on his nose, and she needed to get him medical attention. “Ugh, did anyone get the license number of that truck?” He asked in a daze as Caroline helped him up.

 

“Let’s get you to sickbay, sir.”  

 

“What about Wolf, she escaped?”

 

“I’ll take care of everything, sir”

 

After crawling through the air duct, Wolf and Cover Girl reached the weapons lab where her hardsuit was kept. Soon Wolf stripped off her ‘acquired’ Viper uniform for her softsuit. As Wolf undressed, Cover Girl could see why men were putty in Wolf’s hands. She had a tone, firm and very feminine body from years of fighting and strength training. Even she could not help staring, despite they were both women. Now Wolf stood before Cover Girl in her hardsuit with helmet under her arm and the beam rifle attached to the back of her shield. 

 

“Ready?” Cover Girl asked

  

“Hell yeah, but first let’s stop by the armory and pick up some party favors.” Wolf gave off a very evil smile.

 

On an isolated island in the Solomons, Lady J peered through the heavy bush under camouflage with her night vision goggles pinpointed on a small Cobra outpost. Her mission was with Mainframe and Dagger to raid this outpost and gather intell. According to information from Cypher, this outpost was a communication relay station for Cobra in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, there has been a little chatter of a secret weapons program. Their mission was retrieve as much intell and get out.

 

Sentries out on patrol, the best way was to remove them quietly without raising the alarm. From her experience a base this size would have at least a garrison of 20 to 30 Vipers no more. Turning to Dagger, Lady J gave a hand signal, just a finger across the throat.

 

With a nod, Dagger stood on her feet. Silently the Knight Saber approached behind the nearest Cobra Viper, grabbing and clamping down on his mouth. Only giving off a muffled scream before having his neck broken by the Knight Saber.

 

Lady J watched amazement at her efficiency but it also scared her how this woman who was cheerful and outgoing talking about everyday things just a couple hours ago then can be cold blooded and merciless, bodies dropping to Dagger’s deadly martial arts skill. Lady J got along with Dagger, but she could only wonder what happened for her to become this.

 

Watching his comrades fall to Dagger’s sword, he pulled back on the slide of his AN-94 and ready to fire.

 

Almost on instinct, Dagger when she heard the slightest sound of a hammer being cocked, she threw a throwing knife right into the throat. The Viper fell choking for air before succumbing to massive blood loss and blood filled lungs.

 

“Uh…good work, Dagger,” Lady J hesitantly told her friend.

 

Dagger remained silent the emotionless mask of her face did not show her true feeling and thoughts. She hated what she had become, but right now she had a job to do.

 

As the three Joes stormed the base, inside ops Tele Vipers scrambled over their headsets trying to get reports from the guard and clearing teams. One Tele Viper blanched as last member of a clearing team gave a blood chilling scream as he fell to Dagger. 

 

“You two, guard that door as if your lives depend on it…because it does!” The officer ordered as far as he knew the two remaining Vipers. 

 

The Vipers stood at the open door with AN-94s at the ready. Suddenly two small cylinders rolled across the floor at their feet. “What the….!” The objects exploded in a powerful flash, blinding everyone in the room. In a matter of a few minutes the disorientation cleared from the officer’s eyes only to see the business end of a Japanese long sword.

 

“Don’t move if you desire to live!” Dagger ordered pointing her sword closer to the officer’s throat.

 

Once the officer and the Tele Vipers have been detained, Mainframe hooked his laptop into the terminal. “Anything Mainframe?” Lady J asked.

 

Sifting through the electronics communiqués a lot of references to a Project Apsalus which got the interest of the three Joes, but it could wait when they return to headquarters for further analysis. “This is of some interest, a heavily encrypted data file from a Cynthia to Cobra Commander.”

 

“Download that and anything else.” Lady J ordered before turning to Dagger. “Dagger signal Cutter for our pickup.”

 

“You got it.”

 

Caroline pulled out her cell phone for an update on the escapees while a Med-Viper treated the Commander’s nose. “I’m sorry Commander, the nose is definitely broken,” The Med-Viper remarked as she examined the x-ray, “It will be at least six weeks for it to heal.”

 

“I see, dispatch a clearing team at once. Use any means necessary to capture the prisoners.” Caroline ordered. Even though she was the Commander’s aide, she wielded tremendous authority and was able to act on the Commander’s behalf without question. “Sir, I have clearing teams dispatched, we’ll recapture the prisoners, but I regret the captured hardsuit was stolen from our weapons lab.” She told the Commander.

 

“Do whatever is necessary, Caroline.” He spoke with a very nasal voice as he had difficulty breathing through his nose.

 

“Sir.” She saluted 

 

The installation was on full alert with guard and attack teams conducting an active search for the two Joes. With lockdown procedures in effect, most of the base’s more sensitive areas were restricted level 5 and above. “Well, no access code or key card, still want your party favors, Wolf?” Cover Girl quipped to the Knight Saber thinking this was a fool’s errand instead of finding a way out of the base.

 

“Let me try. I might have a way with this door.” Wolf propped her shield against the wall. Placing her fingers between the doors, Wolf activated the suit’s strength booster. Prying the open the doors, they barely budged, then slowly gave way with load groan of twisting metal until Wolf tore the doors open as if they were paper.

 

“Whoa shit!” exclaimed the tank jockey after witnessing Wolf tearing the doors right off. “That was awesome!”  

 

Inside the armory, Wolf looked around for something with more punch that her AK, besides she hated Ruskie weapons anyway. Opening a crate Cover Girl came across several bull pup assault rifles. “Hey Wolf, they got some FAMAS’ and SA-80s.”

 

“Nah, I don’t want no Limey or Frog weapons. Give me American.”

 

A sigh escaped Cover Girl lips at Wolf’s remark. “What about this,” she asked holding up a rifle that looked the M-4, “the Heckler & Koch HK416, ya got a problem with the Germans?”

 

“Hey, the Boss swears by her SOCOM and MP-5N, the Krauts may have had some crazy fucks, but they know their shit with guns.” Wolf remarked as she took the HK416 and a SOPMOD (Special Operations Particular MODification) package for the M-4. The HK416 was based on the design of the M-4 it also answered the drawbacks of the M-4 which was prone to jamming from dust, debris and build up from firing. Taking her rifle and the SOPMOD, Wolf swapped out the rail on the gun’s barrel for one that allowed her to attach an AN/PEQ-5 carbine visible laser, and the M203 grenade launcher; she didn’t really need scopes or sights since her Hardsuit’s HUD can provide that. Just under where the beam sabers were stored on her legs, Wolf attached a holster with a Desert Eagle Action Express to her legs. She never gave any thought to suppressors, she was going to make as much noise as she wants. Wolf was going to fight her way out of this and take as many of these Cobra bastards along for the ride. It was payback for the physical and mental hell they put her through. Cover Girl took an M-4 for herself, a Mossberg 500 shotgun and a USP Tactical. Also she loaded a rucksack with extra ammo and C-4 just in case.

 

     Fully armed, the two female Joes moved out with Wolf on point, Cover Girl brought up their rear with her shotgun. Even though the alert may have died down, the guard teams are probably still on alert while the attack teams have been recalled. Their primary concern was escaping the base.

 

Looking through a special microscope, Dr. Nina Purpleton examined the circuitry of the Beam Rifle’s E-cap. Nina held a PhD in physics and Minovsky Physics which she was considered an expert in the latter. “Sparks, I need you to fix this power coupling in the E-caps. Hopefully this will solve the beam rifles’ problem. If we recover the YHS-02’s rifle we can fix that one too.”

 

“Yes, Dr.” Sparks answered as he began the delicate work on the E-cap. While Sparks worked, Nina’s attention was drawn as Mackie supervised Cypher’s work in uploading the final software packages and calibrations to the Hardsuits, while, Cypher did little flirting with the Project head. When the YHS-02 was recovered it will also need work since during the emergency only the basic software was uploaded just to get it combat ready.

 

Diving into the pool like a knife, Sylia began swimming laps, she spent the better part of the last two days under sedation, she really needed the sleep, even though she was still worried about Priss. Going through several laps, Sylia floated on her back completely at peace. This is something she hasn’t done for far too long, the simple pleasure of swimming. _Maybe I should have joined the SEALs._ She amusingly thought as she continued to float, allowing to be taken by the serenity of the water. But the peace was short lived as Dial Tone came up running and nearly falling into the pool. “What is it, Dial Tone?”

 

“Lt., I tried to get you on your cell phone but you weren’t answering.”

 

“Obviously,” Sylia dryly remarked as she swam to the edge of where Dial Tone was standing. 

 

“We’ve picked up the GPS signal of the YHS-02.”

 

Minutes later, still in her swimsuits but wearing a terrycloth robe, Sylia examined Dial Tone’s findings. “It is the YHS-02, Dial Tone organize a recovery team in about 5 minutes.”

 

Sylia was relieved that Priss recovered her suit, and probably raising enough hell to give the devil a migraine. She took a couple of deep breaths as the weight was lifted off of her. Heading for the exit, she passed by Shipwreck. “Shipwreck, undress me with your eyes just once, I’ll drop kick your sorry ass!”

 

“Aye, Aye, Lt.” Shipwreck blushed. But he wondered her reaction that he and Clutch have photos of her and Priss in the ladies’ gym shower. _Let’s see the Lt. will kill me slowly while Priss will kill me quick if they found out about my hobby._    

   

“Where are they now?” Caroline asked as she approached a Tele Vipers who was tracking the two Joes on a monitor. She glanced at the monitor, it appeared they were heading for the BAT plant. This was one of the few bases that were building the Battle Android Trooper. She knew that the loss of this base would be money down the toilet; on the other hand Kycilia Zabi would see the budget for her new hardsuit development get a substantial increase, which would make Kycilia happy, she was a staunch opponent to the BAT project. “What do we have down there?” 

 

“Destro is with a clearing team down there.”

 

“Good, we’ll leave it to him.”

 

Inside the BAT plant, Wolf and Cover Girl looked on as they saw robotic troopers being constructed. It appeared Cobra was building robotic troopers not only to augment their own Viper corp; but use them as unending cannon fodder. Wolf noted, with these: no payroll, health benefits; basically cheap replaceable troops. For Wolf, walking beer cans! Cover Girl removed her rucksack and pulled out some C-4, she brought along the C-4 for either blasting through walls or setting up traps

 

“Military Fuckin’ Intelligence, ya gotta love ‘em!” Priss quipped at the sight of a factory building robot troopers in the USA, her opinion of Military Intelligence with the exception of Grey Fox was they could not find her ass with a roadmap and looking right at.

 

“Here, let’s blow the house down.” Cover Girl remarked as she handed her several pounds of the plastic explosives. Splitting up the two planted the explosives in the areas that would do the most damage. As Wolf placed her set of explosives she was keeping an eye on her sensors, there was a multiple hostiles approaching their positions. “Yo, closing time Cover Girl, last call!”

 

A squad of Vipers led by Destro approached an upper level bay window. “Fire!” Destro ordered. The Vipers opened fire on the bay window. Making their way on to the production floor the Viper stormed the factory. With a deliberate step, Wolf stepped in front of the Vipers with her HK 416 in one hand, and her Beam Rifle in the other. “Hello boys!” Wolf said sweetly but a very evil smiled crossed her face underneath her helmet. 

 

“OH SHIT!” Screamed a Viper as he and the other broke and ran, nearly bowling over Destro. “Run for it!”

 

“You cowards! You run from a woman?!”

 

“Fuck you pal! We ain’t getting pay enough to fuck with a broad in powered combat armor. Hey, if you have a deathwish, more power to ya.” The lead Viper told off Destro then turned to the other Vipers, “Okay boys, let kilt boy here deal with the bitch, we got a Union meeting.”     

 

“Hey Destro, how’s life treating ya?” Wolf quipped with the detonator in her hand, “Yer day is just about to get worse.” She slammed her fist into Destro jaw, clearly leaving an indentation on his chrome mask. Cover Girl approached as Wolf hoisted Destro onto her shoulder. 

 

“Sparing Destro a quick death by explosion?”

 

“I don’t know Court, sometimes those after-school specials sneak in and take over my brain.” Wolf shot back as she headed for the exit carrying Destro’s dead weight with her.   

Monitors broken, wires hanging from the ceiling crackling with sputtering discharges of electricity; smoke rose from the fires that crackled and burn across the computer consoles with dead Vipers and Tele Vipers, while medical and damage control crews with fire suppression equipment attended to the wounded/dead and the carnage wrought from the C-4 explosions. “What the hell happen,” Caroline groaned, shaking the cobwebs from her head.

 

A wounded Tele Vipers limped to a barely functioning computer console, “Ma’am,” she called out to Caroline, “There’s a report from the one of the weapon labs, the new Zaku is now missing.”

 

“What? Who accessed the lab?”

 

“Cobra Commander.” The surprised female Tele Viper answered.

 

“Cobra Commander? He was still in the infirmary, why would he take the Zaku?”   

 

Entering the hanger, Wolf and Cover Girl ducked behind several fuel drums. Wolf took the opportunity to check her ammo, she was down to the last mag on her HK 416, the rest of her ammo was also running dry. Suddenly, the maintenance workers left, fleeing in order to avoid fighting Wolf. “Hmm, Cobra mechanics must have a strong union?” Wolf joked

 

“Something’s not right here. But know how to fly a Rattler?” Cover Girl asked

 

“First time for everything.”

 

A blue blur whizzed by slamming Wolf into several large stacks of metal drums. “ **WOLF!** ” screamed Cover Girl, whipping out her M-4, she fired on the fast moving object, but unable to lay a hit.

 

The object opened fire with own deadly hail of machine gun fire.

 

As she dived for cover, the gun rounds struck a nearby fuel truck. The explosion sent Cover Girl flying into a wall.

 

Freeing herself, Wolf got to her feet. _That’s it now I’m pissed…wha!?_ Wolf saw the blue object; it was humanoid shaped with a spiked shoulder and something that looked like a senor in the head that gave off an unearthly pink glow; lifting Cover Girl by the throat. _Courtney!_ She mentally screamed, the two were more than just friends they were inseparable and seeing this bastard toss her like a rag doll got Wolf madder than hell.

 

“Let’s see how your suit holds up against my Zaku!”

 

“Cobra Commander,” Wolf smiled, “It’s payback time and I’m gonna take it outta yer ass, you sonvabitch, I’m going to do more than just break your fuckin’ nose!”

 

“You are welcome to try, Wolf.” The Commander was mildly amused by Wolf’s threat. But he assured himself that his Zaku will defeat Wolf in her YHS-02.

 

Without hesitation, Wolf fired her jumpjets, dashing for the Commander. But getting her close enough, the Commander used her momentum to his advantage by grabbing Wolf and slammed her face first into the hanger floor.

 

Before Wolf could get her bearings and fight back, the Commander kicked her in the stomach, sending her across the hanger. He whipped out his drum fed machine gun and opened fire on her. Scrambling to her feet, Wolf fired her jumpjets just the rounds pock where she was just standing.  Trying to get a bead on Wolf with his machine gun, his rounds went astray destroying a cart of missiles and several fuel tanks. _Where is she?_ He asked himself, the explosion and the heavy smoke began to cloud the visual sensors of his Zaku, before he could switch over to his thermals; he felt a tapping on his shoulder, he turned around facing a very pissed off Wolf.

 

Winding up, Wolf unleashed her hardest punch with the strength booster on full at the Commander. The impact shattered the mono eye sensor, but the back-up came online; he was hoping she didn’t do any further damage to his already broken nose. The punch sent the Commander crashing into a Rattler.

 

Completely enraged, Wolf wanted to pay him back for the hell she was put through, but no one hurts one of her friends. Wolf kept up her attack with one punch after another. Lifting the Commander’s battered Zaku; Wolf threw him into a support column. The column was already weakened by the fire as tons of debris came down on him.  

 

Seeing the base coming down around her, Wolf grabbed the unconscious Cover Girl and ran out of the burning base before it came crashing down. 

 

            Gently placing the tank jockey on the ground, Wolf began performing CPR, when she found out her friend wasn’t breathing. _Come on Courtney breath damn it! I don’t want to lose you!_ Wolf mentally screamed as she kept up with the CPR. After a few minutes, Cover Girl hacked and coughed as she began breathing. 

 

“Hey Priss, you look like shit,” Cover Girl weakly smiled.

 

            ”You ain’t no cover shot of Vogue yourself,” Priss shot back, before grabbing her friend in a fierce hug, she did not want to lose Cover Girl, much like Sylia, she was very special to her and nothing would ever change that.

 

            As they exchanged friendly insults, the sounds of rotors filled the air, drowning them out. To Wolf’s relief, Grey Fox climbed out of the Tomahawk with several Joes and greenshirts secured the LZ. “Leave anything for us?” Fox asked even though she knew the answer, glancing at the destroyed base.

 

            “Just bodies.”

 

            “Time to come home, Priss” Grey Fox softly smiled. 

 

Priss sat at the bar, a cold beer in front of her, lost in thought. She and Cover Girl were debriefed by Sylia and General Hawk, despite being captured it was also an excellent opportunity to gain combat data on Cobra’s new Zaku and test the YHS-02 in actual combat. For Priss it was a small reward for the hell she was put through.

 

“Hey Priss,” a voice called out, snapping Priss out of her thoughts.

 

“Oh hey,” Priss flatly replied as Cover Girl sat at the bar, ordered a beer. 

 

“You okay?”

 

“I don’t know. Sylia and Hawk were more concerned about that damn suit and that bastard’s Zaku.”

 

“Don’t take it that way, I bet Sylia was concerned about you more than the suit. But it’s their asses if that suit was damaged beyond repair.”

 

“Somehow that doesn’t make me feel better.”

 

“You did save my life and I owe you.” Cover Girl said as she lifted her beer glass to Priss’ beer mug. “To Priss and Courtney, partners in crime.” She toasted.

 

“Dagger, Lady J, please explain your findings.” General Hawk requested. Both Dagger and Lady J were asked to present their report from their raid on the Cobra communications outpost at a senior staff meeting.

 

“Yes, sir. According to the data Mainframe was able to extract from their computers show some preliminary test data and specs of a weapons program in Southeast Asia. But not enough to know what is being built.” Dagger reported.

 

“So neither of you can elaborate?”

 

“No, sir.” Lady J answered, “but there has been communications traffic on the status but no real answer. Right now Mainframe is compiling the internal communications to shed some light on this.”

 

“Lady J, Dagger thank you, dismissed.”

 

“Sir,” the two saluted before leaving.

 

After Dagger and Lady J left, Hawk turned to the senior staff. “What do you think, General?” Flint asked. “Sounds like an advanced weapon program, any relation to this Zaku Wolf faced against?”

 

“Possible or something much worse but it is worth our attention.”

 

“I’ll contact Shinobu and see if CIA has any information in that region that might help.” Grey Fox offered. Given the data it was probably bigger than some of Cobra’s other programs such as the Mega Particle Cannon and the MASS device. But it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that the Mega Particle Cannon could be incorporated into this project. She has read Dr. Shakoor’s papers on the military applications of Minovsky physics. 

 

A chance to relax, Linna emerged from the kitchenette with a cup of tea ready to sit down watch the entertainment gossip shows on TV. A knock came to her door as she sipped her tea. “It’s open,” she replied, placing her cup on a coaster.

 

The door opened and Lady J entered. “Hi Allie,” she greeted.

 

“Hi Linna,” Lady J answered, her tone was quiet, showing she was preoccupied about something. Linna noticed it and was rather puzzled, “Can we talk?”

 

“Sure,” she answered offering Lady J a seat on the couch. She wondered what Lady J was preoccupied about, she had feeling it was probably about the mission that was completed. “You’re wondering about the mission?”

 

“Yeah. Linna, that night you weren’t the upbeat, outgoing person I knew. You were a completely a different person. I have to admit it scared me, I consider you a friend. Please tell me what happen to you, you were cold blooded and without mercy, it’s not the Linna I know.” Lady J pleaded, she knew much like Sylia in some respects, Linna could be tightlipped. Especially when talking about her past.  

 

A sigh escaped the raven haired hair Knight Sabers as she looked sorrow-fully at her friend. “Allie, I suffer from PTSD, it started when my parents were murdered. Right in front of me.”

 

“Oh my god.”

 

Linna began to open up to Lady J. Her transformation from years of intense martial arts training not only under her Uncle but Hard and Soft Masters, then her service in Black Ops the mental conditioning she was put through for the most nastiest of wet works. “It scares you, Allie? It scares the hell out of me! I hate it! I hate what I’ve become,” tears rolled freely down her face as her voice cracked into a sob, “I’ve accepted it, but I feel empty, like I have no soul! I’m a killer! I have nightmares of what I’ve done.” She cried.

 

Reaching out to the Knight Saber, Lady J wrapped her arms, letting Linna cry. She cried, she cried for Linna and the trauma she endured for most of her life, all the pain and suffering. “Linna, you’re not a killer. A killer is someone who can kill without any emotion or regrets. You regretted everything you’ve done, I know it eats at you, but you do have a soul, just by how you treat Nene. Just by how you’re cheerful, optimistic and out-going. You’re a good person, Linna Yamazaki. Remember that.”

 

“Thank you, Allie,” She sniffled, drying her eyes with a Kleenex, “I thank god everyday for having you, Sylia, Nene, Shanna and even Priss for my friends.”

 

Lady J smiled as she drew Linna close. “Linna if you ever want to talk, even about your past, you know where to find me. It will take time.” 

 

Cobra Commander slowly came to, his vision still blurred; he slowly realized he was in a hospital bed with tubes carrying blood, drugs and oxygen. “Caroline?” He weakly whispered barely recognizing the Crimson Guard at his bedside.

 

“Easy sir. You’re being held together by a lot of sutures. You’ve suffered not only broken bones but heavy internal injuries. If it weren’t for your Zaku, you would’ve been on a slab in the morgue. You’ll need at least six months to heal.”

 

“Caroline, I appoint you as commander of Cobra in my stead.”

 

“Yes sir, if I may, after speaking with Cynthia, I want to terminate Project Apsalus. Sahalin is still dragging his ass on the status of the project and Cynthia has been smuggling information out, some would be considered disturbing.”

 

“Do as you wish, transfer its funding to Kycilia’s hardsuit development program…” The Commander struggled to say as he succumbed to the painkillers and other drugs.   

 

“Yes sir.”

 

As Priss tried to sleep, she tossed and turned as her mind was bombarded with the torture she endured. Her body dripped with sweat as she bolted up with sudden loud scream. She sat there panting. 

 

Cover Girl burst into her friend’s room only in a t-shirt and underwear; she got up to get herself a glass of water and was having trouble sleeping herself. “Priss?” She asked, she was concerned about her friend when she heard her scream from her nightmare of her torture. Cover Girl sat alongside wrapping her arms around her crying friend. Priss buried her face into Cover Girl’s shoulder and sobbed. “Shh, I’m here Priss, and I’m not going anywhere. Go back to sleep.” With gentle circles, Cover Girl rubbed Priss’ back getting her to calm down. Soon, Priss was lulled back to sleep, Cover Girl rested her head against Priss’, the feelings she was discovering were indescribable and nor has she ever felt like this for another person. “Sweet dreams Priss. I’ll watch over you.” Cover Girl gently fell asleep, still holding the sleeping Knight Saber in her arms.

 

                                    The End


End file.
